Dropping its long-standing aversion to mobile gaming, Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) is teaming up with online gaming firm DeNA (OTC:DNACF) to develop games for smartphones based on its iconic game characters.

"This...doesn't mean smart devices will eat away at gaming consoles, it will create an entirely new type of demand," Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told reporters.

The two companies will buy ¥22B worth of shares in each other as part of the capital and product tie-up.

NPD estimates U.S. physical retail game sales rose 7% Y/Y in February to $338.9M, up from January's 5% growth and better than expected. Hardware sales rose 10% to $378.2M, as next-gen console demand remains healthy. Superdata Research estimates digital game revenue rose just 2% to $995M, thanks to weak mobile and social game sales.

Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) had a good month: The recently-refreshed 3DS XL handheld was February's top-selling console - Ninetendo says 394K 3DS units were sold - and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (launched on Feb. 13) topped NPD's game rankings.

Take-Two (NASDAQ:TTWO) also did well: Evolve (launched on Feb. 10) was #2 on NPD's list, GTA V came in at #5 (down from January's #3) ahead of its March 24 PC launch, and NBA 2K15 was at #6 (down from #5). Take-Two recently said it was "very pleased" with Evolve's launch.

Piper observes Take-Two and Activision's NPD sales were respectively up 72% and 16% Y/Y in February, and that EA's were down 32% over the first two months of 2015. It maintains Overweight ratings on all 3 firms.

The WSJ reports Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) is "working closely" with Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) on developing a live-action series based on the cult Zelda game franchise, and seeking writers. A source says Netflix is pitching the series, whose development is still in its early stages, as a family-friendly Game of Thrones.

Netflix has promised to release 320 hours of original content this year - 3x as much as it released in 2014 - and has said it could launch as many as 20 original series' per year. A $1.5B debt offering meant to help finance Netflix's content spend was launched earlier this week.

Citing sky-high import tariffs, Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) will no longer sell hardware or software in Latin America's largest country (population of 200M).

Exec Bill van Zyll: "Brazil is an important market for Nintendo and home to many passionate fans ... But unfortunately, challenges in the local business environment have made our current distribution model unsustainable in the country."

The console/game vendor will "continue to monitor the environment in the country so that we can evaluate future opportunities." Rival Sony (NYSE:SNE) has also been hit hard by Brazilian tariffs: The PS4 cost $1,845 in Brazil when it went on sale in the country in 2013.

After rising 57% Y/Y in May due to new game launches, U.S. retail physical game sales fell 3% in June to $286.8M, per NPD. But with June 2013 having a stronger launch title lineup, that figure was better than expected. Sales were also still up over 4% from a May level of $274M.

Ubisoft's (OTCPK:UBSFY) Watch Dogs was the top-selling title for the second month in a row. Electronic Arts' (EA+3.1%) UFC (launched on June 3) was #4, and FIFA 14 (receiving a World Cup boost) was #5. Titanfall (#8 in May) fell out of the top-10.

Activision's (ATVI+1.2%) Call of Duty: Ghosts rose 2 spots to #8. But The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (#6 in May) dropped out of the top-10.

Take-Two's (TTWO+4.1%) NBA 2K14 (boosted by playoff interest) rose a spot to #6, and GTA V came in at #10. Nintendo's (OTCPK:NTDOY) Mario Kart 8 and Tomodachi Life were respectively #2 and #9.

With the help of Microsoft's cheaper Xbox One package, hardware sales rose 106% Y/Y to $292.7M. Together with the software numbers, that's providing a lift to GameStop (GME+4.4%).

EA reports on July 22, while Activision and Take-Two both report on August 5.

Struggling to cope with soft Wii U sales, Nintendo (NTDOY) has decided to close its European HQ (based in Großostheim, Germany). 130 workers will be laid off, and Nintendo will now run its European ops out of its Frankfurt office.

The move comes after Nintendo reported a $229M net loss for the fiscal year ending March '14. Wii U sales totaled only 2.72M during the year (far below an initial forecast of 9M), and just 310K in the final quarter. By contrast, Sony sold 7M PS4 units in the console's first 5 months of availability.

Nonetheless, Nintendo forecasts a ¥40B ($390M) profit for the current fiscal year. Wii U sales are expected to total 3.6M, and 3DS sales12M.

Nintendo (NTDOY) expects to sell 3.6M Wii U consoles this fiscal year after moving 2.72M for the just-ended year.

Though analysts might be giving the company a pass on the console guidance, on profit estimates they are a bit more strict. While Nintendo forecasts a FY15 operating profit of ¥40B ($393M), the consensus estimate from analysts is at ¥29.58B ($290M).

The rumors were true: Amazon's (AMZN+0.6%) new streaming set-top will support "thousands" of Android games by next month (live blog). To play them, Amazon is providing an optional $40 controller that comes bundled with 1,000 Amazon coins (normally retails for $9.50) to buy games with, and a tablet controller app. A small number of titles can be played with the Fire TV's bundled remote.

Electronic Arts (EA-0.9%), Take-Two's (TTWO+0.2%) 2K Games unit, Sega, Gameloft, and Disney are among the game developers on board. Amazon, as reported, will also be developing its own titles. The Verge: "The graphics are pretty solid, they seem about on par with what you can get on top-end Android devices. It's not lagging at all."

Should Sony (SNE-0.6%), Ninetendo (NTDOY), and Microsoft be worried? The Fire TV, and perhaps also gaming set-tops reportedly on the way from Apple and Google, are unlikely to compel hard-core gamers to ditch their PS4s and Xbox Ones. But much like mobile devices, they could gain a strong following among consumers wanting a cheap, simple, casual gaming experience.

The Fire TV itself will sell for $99 - the same price as Apple TV and Roku 3. It begins shipping today.

Multiple sources tell VG 24/7 Amazon (AMZN+1.3%) plans to launch "a dedicated games and entertainment device this year priced below $300." Not surprisingly, the device reportedly runs on Android and is the work of Amazon's secretive Lab 126 unit (responsible for its Kindle hardware).

Amazon is said to be meeting with game publishing execs to brief them on the hardware, and has used popular Android/iOS titles to demo the device.

The report comes after Amazon sent out an invite for a developer event in which the company claimed it's "working on a new revolutionary [Version 1] product that will allow us to deliver Digital Media to customers in new ways."

There were several reports (I, II) last year stating an Amazon set-top is in development, with some claiming the device would also act as a console. The Verge reported in October Amazon's box had been delayed.

Google is also reportedly working on an Android set-top/console, and Apple is reportedly planning to launch a refreshed Apple TV with game support.

Amazon, Google, and Apple's rumored devices are all seen trying to disrupt the traditional console market by offering cheaper casual gaming/video-streaming systems that support the rapid porting of mobile games. If the reports pan out, Sony (SNE+1%), Nintendo (NTDOY), and Microsoft (MSFT) won't be thrilled.

Nintendo (NTDOY-14.9%) shares plunge after the company reversed itself on projections, issuing guidance for a ¥35B loss in the FY ending March.

Jefferies, however, raised its PT to ¥29K (shares currently trade at ~¥14.6K) and reiterated a Buy rating, noting that "Our Buy thesis on Nintendo has been predicated on the company missing the President's 'commitment' of ¥100b OP and being forced to change."

Jefferies predicates its contrarian view on the notion that Nintendo's failure will force it to move into mobile: "We believe Mario on mobile is coming."

Nintendo (NTDOF) has warned that it expects an operating loss of ¥35B ($336M) for the fiscal year through March instead of a profit of ¥100B, as the company had previously forecast. Analysts predict ¥54.7B.

Nintendo also projects a net loss of ¥25B vs a previous outlook for a profit of ¥55B, and it has cut its revenue estimate by 36% to ¥590B. The company will pay an FY dividend of ¥100 instead of ¥260.

Nintendo said the dramatic reversal was due to much lower-than-expected sales of its Wii U and 3DS games machines during the holiday season. That might have something to do with the success of Sony's (SNE) PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's (MSFT) Xbox One, both of which were launched in the run up to Christmas.

Nintendo now expects FY Wii U sales of 2.8M instead of 9M and 3DS sales of 13.5M vs 18M. The firm also cut its software outlook. (PR here and here.)

China's State Council has temporarily lifted a 14-year old ban on the sale of foreign computer-gaming devices, opening the way for Microsoft (MSFT), Sony (SNE) and Nintendo (NTDOF) to enter a market that was worth almost $14B in 2013.

"Foreign-invested enterprises" will be allowed to sell machines made in Shanghai's new free trade zone.

However, Nintendo expressed skepticism at the ruling, saying it's not much different from when China's government said in September that it planned to relax the ban. "This just means one step of the process has been taken," Nintendo said.

Foreign consoles have long been sold illegally in China, although online PC gaming is more popular.

Nintendo (NTDOY-3.9%) is on the cusp of another Wii U sales disappointment, Bloomberg reports.

In Oct., President Satoru Iwata stated the console and game maker would meet its forecast of ¥100B in profit and 9M Wii U units sold. Analysts have been skeptical, seeing ¥57B in profit and sales of 6.2M units instead.

Sparing no words, Wedbush's Michael Pachter said, "[Nintendo] steadfastly refuse[s] to consider that the product is not interesting to consumers ... They will fail to hit 9 million, and they will likely miss their profit goals."

In the first nine months of the year, the company sold only 850K units. Games sales are lagging as well, with 6.3M units sold in the same period vs. the company's annual forecast of 32M units. Nintendo already cut the price of the Wii U by $50 in an effort to bolster sales back in Aug.

Nintendo Co., Ltd. manufactures and markets home-use video games. The company also produces related software used in conjunction with its television-compatible entertainment systems. Nintendo diversifies its business by seeking to offer new applications of video game systems, such as e-mail...More